Trump’s NAFTA Threat Could Drive Technology Talent To Canada

January 20, 2017 – Elimination of a key U.S. visa category created under North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could push more technology talent to Canada, experts say.

The Treaty NAFTA visa, created to allow high skilled individuals from Canada and Mexico to enter the U.S. provided they had employment offers, could be revoked under Donald Trump’s plan to bring jobs back to America.

It means Canadians and Mexicans who have built successful careers in the U.S. could be about to be told they have to go home.

This comes at a time when the U.S. technology industry faces a shortage of workers and Canada is preparing to launch a Global Skills Visa to help companies bring in the best and brightest talent in just two weeks.

Trump has promised to make the renegotiation of NAFTA his number one job on his first day in office.

Many are predicting Trump’s hardline stance on immigration could see a greater outflow of talent, with Canada waiting just across the border.

Conservative estimates suggest Canada will have 182,000 vacancies in the technology sector by 2019. The growing sector is driving the economy, with 71,000 companies employing 5.6 per cent of the workforce and responsible for 7 per cent of the country’s output.

More people are employed in technology than a combination of oil and gas, mining and forestry – a indication the Canadian economy is undergoing a significant transition, meaning it needs workers with the right expertise.

Several Canadian technology companies have reported significant interest from Silicon Valley workers looking to make the move north since Trump’s election victory.

Canadian technology giants Shopify and Hootsuite were among those lining up to praise the government’s initiative, which comes after hearing months of feedback saying the current system was inadequate.

The new plan is to allow companies that qualify to get visas and work permits approved inside two weeks as standard – under the current system the minimum processing time is six months.

Planned changes will also see the creation of a 30-day work permit that can be spread across a year, meaning companies can bring in workers for short stints without the need to apply for new paperwork each time.

The firms say they too often lose important hires to competitors in other countries because of the drawn-out process for obtaining a visa. Some have moved to employ talent from overseas to circumnavigate the visa issue.

Under the new rules, companies will be able to qualify for the fast-track visa by proving they need highly-qualified foreign talent for investments, to create jobs or to transfer knowledge to Canadians. Multinationals making big investments will also be able to access the new system.